Author Topic: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'  (Read 2227 times)

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Offline mystery-ak

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http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/army/258631-retired-military-chiefs-call-us-kids-still-too-fat-to-fight


Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
By Elise Viebeck - 09/25/12 04:13 PM ET

Spiking rates of childhood obesity are a threat to national security and demand government intervention, according to retired military leaders.

In a report entitled "Still Too Fat to Fight" that was released Tuesday, the advocacy group "Mission: Readiness" described obesity as an epidemic that poses a direct challenge to military effectiveness.

The group called on Congress to continue supporting stricter nutrition standards for school lunches — the kind that have become controversial among small-government conservatives.

"As retired admirals and generals, we know that America is not powerless in the face of this insidious epidemic," Mission wrote. "Getting the junk food out of our schools is the obvious next step in our efforts to address the childhood obesity crisis."

In one sense, the report states, obesity means the military has a smaller pool of eligible members because 1 in 4 Americans is too overweight to join.

Combined with other disqualifying factors — including criminal backgrounds and poor education — excess weight means that an estimated 75 percent of young adults could not serve in the military even if they desired to, according to the report.

But obesity poses what may be an even greater challenge to existing service members, whose performance the group believes is negatively affected by excess weight.

According to the report, many recruits have to undergo remedial physical fitness instruction prior to basic training, and excess weight also leads to more sprains and stress fractures in the field.

"All of these unhealthy situations can have an impact on military readiness," the report states. "Injured soldiers often cannot be deployed with their units and a soldier's failure to pass the military's physical fitness tests can result in discharge.

"Worse, more soldiers were evacuated from Iraq or Afghanistan for serious sprains and fractures than for combat injuries … While it is true that even fully fit soldiers suffer strains or fractures … overweight or less-fit young men and women are at higher risk for these injuries."

Members of Mission are senior retired military leaders who call for "smart investments in America's children."

Their report praised government action against obesity, specifically efforts by municipalities such as Philadelphia and New York City to reduce junk food in schools.

U.S. students consume 400 billion calories from junk food sold in schools each year, or more weight than the aircraft carrier Midway, according to the report.
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Offline mystery-ak

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2012, 10:49:52 pm »
It never stopped them before from taking overweight people...they got them in shape in basic training.....I sense Mrs. BHO is behind this....just me.
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Offline mountaineer

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2012, 11:27:07 pm »
Quote
The group called on Congress to continue supporting stricter nutrition standards for school lunches — the kind that have become controversial among small-government conservatives.
Children are not fat because of school lunches. They're fat because their parents are too lazy or uninterested in feeding them healthy food, or because their parents are too busy working two and three jobs to try to support the family thanks to Obama's economy, or because of a thousand other reasons that have everything to do with their home life and nothing to do with the school lunch ladies.

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famousdayandyear

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2012, 11:53:49 pm »
Quote
"All of these unhealthy situations can have an impact on military readiness," the report states. "Injured soldiers often cannot be deployed with their units and a soldier's failure to pass the military's physical fitness tests can result in discharge.

"Worse, more soldiers were evacuated from Iraq or Afghanistan for serious sprains and fractures than for combat injuries … While it is true that even fully fit soldiers suffer strains or fractures … overweight or less-fit young men and women are at higher risk for these injuries."

Members of Mission are senior retired military leaders who call for "smart investments in America's children."

This is a ridiculous statement.  Fully fit soldiers get blown to bits on a REGULAR basis.  Does anyone know who these Members of Mission are?  and exactly what is their mission?  to slip an halal menu into the field?  Sounds pretty suspicious to me with Valerie Jarrett and the other harpies written all over it.

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2012, 12:01:44 am »
Press release dated Jan 25, 2012 (in support of Mooch and WH propaganda)


Retired Generals and Admirals Support New Nutrition Standards for School Meals As Critical to Nation’s Long-Term Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 25, 2012) – James A. “Jamie” Barnett, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired), representing more than 275 retired generals and admirals who are members of Mission: Readiness, joined First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today to announce new nutrition standards for meals served in America’s schools.

“Obesity is the leading medical reason why young adults are unable to join the military, with one in four too overweight to enlist,” said Admiral Barnett. “The retired generals and admirals of Mission: Readiness strongly supported passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and today’s announcement is an important step in helping reduce calories, fat and sodium in school meals so our obesity crisis does not become a national security crisis.”

The interest of military leaders in school nutrition is not new.  During World War II, the military found that at least 40 percent of rejected recruits were turned away for reasons related to poor nutrition. This issue became an important part of the conversation shortly after the war when Congress looked to establish a permanent national school lunch program. As a result, the original child nutrition law was passed partly because it supported national security.

“Today we face a similar crisis — only it is not malnourishment, but improper nourishment, that threatens our national security interests,” said retired four-star Air Force General Richard E. Hawley, who is also a member of Mission: Readiness.  “Considering that many children consume as much as 40 percent of their daily calories during school hours, improving the nutritional value of school meals will have a profound impact on their future health. Efforts to improve school nutrition and get junk food out of schools are critical to reducing childhood obesity and ultimately improving national security.”
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Offline mountaineer

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2012, 12:06:58 am »
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“Obesity is the leading medical reason why young adults are unable to join the military, with one in four too overweight to enlist,” said Admiral Barnett.
Then blame the parents who raise them on hamburgers, french fries and pizza, not the schools.

Idiots.
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Offline mystery-ak

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2012, 12:08:10 am »
I knew Mooshell was involved some way...the military has been doing fine for over 200 years without her interference
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Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2012, 01:28:00 am »
When I was drafted at the peak of the Vietnam draft, most guys did qualify. Right at the start, we waited three weeks, beore we starte Basic. During that time, we did daily exercize (running, etc.).

We didn't know it at the time, but the delay was probably getting a start on physical  fitness and discipline.

If we ever need lotsa bodies, the weight guidelines will get waived, and the pre-basic remedial time will get used.

Looking at the world as it really is, America has wasted thousands of lives for little or no progress fighting islamic terrorism.

Back during WWII FDR and Truman didn't say "Shinto is a religion of peace" like Bush did, or want to make buddies out of the muslim brotherhoood like Obama.

The individuals and the equipment of our military impress me, but not the leadership, which hasn't won a major war since WWII.

Reason: Too worried about killing the civilians that birthed and provided hidouts for the soldiers and terrorists.

The last time we intentionally bombed civilians in large numbers, we won the war.
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famousdayandyear

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2012, 02:35:59 am »
Words to live by from General James Mattis, USMC       

    "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."
        One of the rules Maj. Gen. James Mattis gave his Marines to live by in Iraq, as quoted in Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq (2006) by Thomas E. Ricks; as excerpted in Armed Forces Journal (August 2006)

   " I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you bleep with me, I’ll kill you all."
        After the invasion of Iraq -and after sending his tanks and artillery home- Mattis sent this message to the Iraqi leaders in every area his men served in, as quoted in Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq (2006) by Thomas E. Ricks; as excerpted in Armed Forces Journal (August 2006)

Offline Gazoo

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Re: Retired military chiefs: Obesity levels mean US is 'too fat to fight'
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2012, 02:46:20 am »
It never stopped them before from taking overweight people...they got them in shape in basic training.....I sense Mrs. BHO is behind this....just me.

I agree and sense the same thing. But keep in mind the military has gotten very PC, no smoking, stress cards issued at boot camp with naps given if you are stressed.
Even with all of the PC this article is still BS. In the Navy they have fat boy programs. Fat chubby 18 year olds aren't going to join the military period. And the number of fat chubby kids has never changed. The body fat ratio is strict but there are plenty of qualified kids. There is a waiting list at recruiters offices nowadays because of the economy. This article is BS and the Obama's influenced them to write it to back up MO saying her lunch program is a huge part of national security. She is FOS.
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